This decadent Sock it to Me Cake is an indulgent dessert that captures all the flavors of a classic Southern cake, like warm spices, nuts, sweet glaze, and boxed cake mix. It's a simple cake to whip and bake in less than an hour and will become a family favorite recipe after the first bite!
Contents
🌟 Why this recipe works
Sock it to me cake is one of the best Southern comfort food recipes that always gets rave reviews from guests. The chopped pecans, brown sugar, and cinnamon layer in the middle are what make this delicious cake stand out from a bundt cake or pound cake.
The cake starts with a box of buttery yellow cake mix and gets an upgrade with the addition of sour cream, vegetable oil, sugar, and eggs for a soft and moist cake.
The real star of the show is the pecan filling. With just four ingredients, you can make a sweet and nutty filling that gives the cake an extra layer of flavor and texture, and the final touch is a creamy glaze made with powdered sugar and milk.
This glaze adds an extra layer of sweetness that pairs nicely with the nutty filling and moist cake. Plus, it looks great when you drizzle it over the finished cake!
It's such an easy and delicious dessert that you'll be making it over and over again! And for more easy cake recipes, check out our tomato soup cake, carrot cake, or pineapple coffee cake.
🍽 Key Ingredients
You only need a few pantry staples, a yellow cake box mix, and a bundt tin to make this sock it to me cake recipe.
For the batter
Yellow butter cake mix - You can find this boxed mix in most grocery stores. It provides a buttery, moist cake base and saves time making a flour mixture with flour, baking powder, and baking soda to give your cake a light texture.
Sour cream - Some sour cream adds fat content and moisture to the batter for a richer flavor.
Vegetable oil - Adding vegetable oil to the cake batter helps keep the cake moist and tender while baking.
Sugar - Granulated sugar provides the sweetness for the cake.
Eggs - Eggs are used to bind the rest of the ingredients together and give structure to the cake.
Water - All cake mixes require some form of liquid (either water or milk) to make the batter pourable and not thick.
For the Pecan Filling
Pecans - Pecans are chopped and added to the middle of the cake for extra flavor and texture.
Brown sugar - This adds a caramelized sweetness to the pecan filling.
Cinnamon & Nutmeg - These spices add a warm, comforting flavor to the cake.
For the Glaze
You'll need a mixture of confectioner's sugar and milk to create a light and creamy glaze to pour over the sock it to me cake.
Substitutions
If you don't have the exact ingredients on hand, there are a few substitutes and additions you can make to this sock it to me cake.
Vegetable oil
You can also use melted butter in place of vegetable oil for more flavor.
Sour cream
If you don't have sour cream, plain yogurt or Greek yogurt can be used as a substitute.
Pecans
Walnuts or almonds can also be substituted for the pecans in this recipe if desired.
Cinnamon & Nutmeg
If you don't have any of these spices, you can use a teaspoon of allspice or pumpkin pie spice instead.
🔪 How to make
Making the sock it to me cake is a simple and quick process that requires minimal effort. Follow the steps below to have this delicious Southern-style dessert ready in no time!
Preparations
- All the water, eggs, and sour cream to come to room temperature.
- Pour the pecans into a food processor and pulse a few times until coarse.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (177 degrees Celsius) and grease a bundt pan with non-stick baking spray or melted butter.
Cooking instructions
Step 1
Whisk the yellow cake mix, sour cream, vegetable oil, sugar, and eggs with room temperature water in a large bowl until completely smooth.
Step 2
Pour ⅔rds of the batter into the prepared bundt pan.
Step 3
Mix the chopped pecans, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a medium bowl until combined.
Step 4
Evenly pour the pecan mixture over the batter in the prepared pan.
Step 5
Followed by the remaining batter over the top.
Step 6
Bake in the preheated oven for 35-45 minutes until cooked and golden.
Tip: Let the cake cool completely for half an hour while making the glaze.
Step 7
Whisk the confectioner's sugar and milk in a small bowl until smooth and runny.
Step 8
Turn the sock it to me cake upside down onto a plate and drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake.
Step 9
Slice and serve.
💭 Cooking tips
Mixing the batter
When making the batter, it is important to not overwork it, as this will make the cake dense. For best results, incorporate the ingredients until just combined.
Greasing the bundt pan
Make sure to grease the pan before pouring the batter into it. This will make it easy for you to remove it from the pan without it sticking.
Checking for doneness
Insert a toothpick into the center of the cake to check if it is done baking. If some cake batter sticks to the toothpick, bake it for a few more minutes and check again.
Cooling time
Ensure that you give your cake enough time to cool before attempting to remove it from the pan. Cool it for at least 25 minutes before serving.
Leftover pecans
If you have leftover pecans, sprinkle them on top of the glaze before serving them for a crunchy finish.
📖 Recipe Variations
There are several variations to the traditional sock it to me cake recipe that you can try. Here are some delicious ideas for your next baking adventure!
Lemon Sock It To Me Cake
For a citrusy twist, add 1 teaspoon of lemon zest to the batter and the juice of 1 lemon.
Sock it to me cake with toasted pecan topping
Toasting the pecans first gives them an even nuttier flavor that you can really taste in this cake.
Sock it to me cake with vanilla glaze
Add a teaspoon of vanilla extract to the confectioner's sugar and milk to make a vanilla glaze to pour over the cake.
Sock it to me cake with butter icing
To make butter icing for the cake instead of a glaze, you'll need 1 cup of softened butter, 4 cups of confectioner sugar, 1 tablespoon of milk, and ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract.
Cream butter and sugar in a stand mixer until fluffy, then add the milk and vanilla to the butter mixture and mix until it forms a thick frosting. Spread the vanilla icing over the cooled cake and serve.
🥗 What to serve with
The sock it to me cake is the perfect tea party cake to share with friends and family along with other delicious treats.
Muffins
Bake a delicious batch of sour cherry crumble muffins to accompany the sock it to me cake.
Sweet breads
Try serving some sweet breads, such as peanut butter bread, peanut butter chocolate chip bread, or cream cheese banana bread to add a hint of sweetness to the tea party.
Sandwich cookies
Sandwich cookies are always one of the best treats to enjoy any time of day or at tea parties with coffee and cakes! Bake some ginger sandwich cookies and oatmeal cream pie sandwiches.
🙋 Frequently asked questions
What can I use if I don't have a bundt pan?
If you don't have a bundt pan, you can use a 9-inch springform pan.
Why have my pecans sunk to the bottom?
If the pecan mixture has sunk to the bottom during baking instead of sitting in the middle, this is caused by the batter mixture being too thin. Make sure the batter is thick enough to hold the pecans before covering them with the remaining cake batter.
🧊 Storing
If you have any leftover sock it to me cake or have made 2 of them and want to store one, you have two storage options:
Fridge - Once it has cooled, wrap the cake in cling film to keep it fresh and store it in an airtight container. The cake will stay fresh and delicious for up to 5 days.
Freezer - The cake can also be stored in the freezer for up to 6 months. Wrap it tightly in cling film and put it into an airtight container.
When you are ready to serve it, allow the cake to thaw at room temperature before serving.
👪 Serving size
This delicious sock it to me cake recipe makes one large bundt cake, perfect for serving 8-10 people.
The sock it to me cake is a delicious treat that’s perfect for any occasion. With its spongy texture and sweet pecan filling, it’s sure to be a hit at your next tea party. With the help of this guide, you can now make and serve the perfect sock it to me cake.
Love this dessert recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page.
Try one of my comfort dessert recipes for your next meal! And if you have any questions, I'm here to help!
📋 Recipe
Sock it To Me Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake Batter
- 1 box Yellow butter cake mix - 15.25 ounces
- 1 cup Sour cream
- ½ cup Vegetable oil
- ¼ cup Granulated sugar
- 4 large Eggs
- ¼ cup Water - room temperature
For the Pecan Filling
- 1 cup Pecans - chopped
- 2 tablespoons Brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons Ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon Ground nutmeg
For the Glaze
- 1 cup Confectioner's sugar
- 1½ tablespoon Milk
Instructions
- Whisk the yellow cake mix, sour cream, vegetable oil, sugar, and eggs with room temperature water in a large bowl until completely smooth.
- Pour ⅔rds of the batter into the prepared bundt pan.
- Mix the chopped pecans, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a medium bowl until combined.
- Evenly pour the pecan mixture over the batter in the prepared pan.
- Followed by the remaining batter over the top.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 35-45 minutes until cooked and golden. Tip: Let the cake cool completely for half an hour while making the glaze.
- Whisk the confectioner's sugar and milk in a small bowl until smooth and runny.
- Turn the sock it to me cake upside down onto a plate and drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake.
- Slice and serve.
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